Porto to Lisbon Train: CP Booking Guide 2026
Discover the best way to travel from Porto to Lisbon by train. Learn about CP train types, how to secure a 40% discount, and smart 2nd class seat hacks.
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Discover the best way to travel from Porto to Lisbon by train. Learn about CP train types, how to secure a 40% discount, and smart 2nd class seat hacks.
Happy Records'
🇪🇸 17-Night 19-Day Spain & Portugal Travel Prep Series 🇵🇹
The day you move from Porto to Portugal's capital, Lisbon, involves a fairly long journey, so it's essential to plan ahead!
If you look up how to get from Porto to Lisbon, you'll find plenty of options, including flights, buses, and trains.
We decided to go with the CP Train.
🚂
If you book the CP train using the promo tickets that open up about 2 months before your departure date,
you can save around 40% off the regular price!
So if your dates are set, I highly recommend booking in advance!
From how to book promo tickets to handy tips on selecting 2nd class seats so you can travel comfortably without worrying about luggage theft—
I'm writing it all down here in my Happy Records to help you prepare for your next adventure!✨
1. ✈Plane (Total travel time: 4+ hours)
The flight itself is only about an hour, making it theoretically the fastest option.
However, once you add up traveling from downtown Porto to the airport, arriving 2 hours early for check-in,
and collecting your bags and getting into downtown Lisbon, it easily takes at least 4 hours total.
Plus, with the extra fees for checked baggage, it's just not worth the money, so we ruled it out right away!
2. 🚌Bus (Takes about 3.5 to 4 hours)
Taking FlixBus or Rede Expressos is definitely budget-friendly.
But you'll be sitting in tight seats for a while, and traffic jams could add massive delays to your trip.
3. 🚂CP Train (Takes about 3 to 3.5 hours)
Since it departs from downtown Porto and arrives directly in downtown Lisbon,
the actual door-to-door transit feels the shortest and most seamless.
When travel times are similar, we always prefer the comfort of a train over a bus.
And since getting to and from the train stations from both of our accommodations in Porto and Lisbon was so easy,
choosing the CP train was a no-brainer! 🚂
💡 A Quick Guide to Portugal's CP Train Types 💡
Trains in Portugal are generally categorized into four main types:
📍AP (Alfa Pendular)
Porto to Lisbon takes about 3 hours
Portugal's fastest and most comfortable premium high-speed train (similar to France's TGV or Korea's KTX).
It has free Wi-Fi and plenty of legroom, making it the top choice for long journeys.
📍IC (Intercidades)
Porto to Lisbon takes about 3.5 hours (feels similar to standard express trains).
An express train connecting major cities. It stops more frequently than the AP, so it takes a bit longer.
📍R (Regional)
A local, slower train that stops at smaller, regional stations along the way.
Typically used for short hops between neighboring towns rather than long-distance travel.
📍U (Urbano)
A commuter train linking major city centers with their surrounding suburbs.
Think of it like a metropolitan subway or commuter rail.
For traveling between Porto and Lisbon, you'll be choosing between the AP and the IC.
Since the price difference isn't very big, we decided to book the faster, more comfortable AP train!✨
⭐️ The Most Important Part: Timing Your Booking ⭐️
CP train tickets open up on the official website about 60 days (2 months) before the departure date.
This is when you can snag those amazing Promo Tickets!
So, like the hardcore planner I am, I marked the date on my calendar and booked them the minute they became available!
(Ah, the absolute satisfaction of being an organized traveler!)
📌
Once you're on the CP website, you'll need to select your departure and arrival stations.
📍Porto Departure Stations
São Bento vs. Campanhã
The photogenic station famous for its beautiful tile murals right in the heart of Porto is São Bento Station.
However, high-speed trains bound for Lisbon do not stop at São Bento. They only depart from the larger suburban hub, Campanhã Station.
If you search with São Bento as your starting point,
the fare for the Urban (commuter) train from São Bento to Campanhã is actually included in your ticket!
You just ride the commuter train for one stop (about 5 minutes) and then transfer to the Lisbon-bound train at Campanhã Station.
Since our Porto accommodation was located right next to São Bento Station,
I wasn't sure whether to select São Bento or Campanhã as our departure point, so I did a bit of research.
Some travelers mentioned that dragging heavy luggage onto the commuter train to Campanhã,
finding the right platform, and rushing to transfer can be a bit stressful and physically tiring.
On the other hand, others said that transferring was incredibly straightforward and no big deal.
✔️ People who headed to São Bento Station a bit earlier than their ticket's departure time,
taking an earlier commuter train to Campanhã Station so they could wait comfortably.
✔️ People who skipped the hassle entirely and took an Uber or Bolt directly from their hotel to Campanhã Station.
(Taxi fares are quite affordable in Portugal, so spending a little extra on a Bolt is highly recommended when you have a lot of luggage!)
I also checked the ticket prices on the official website,
and found that the [São Bento - Campanhã - Santa Apolónia] route (starting at São Bento)
cost exactly the same as the [Campanhã - Santa Apolónia] route!
So we decided to go ahead and book the ticket starting right from São Bento Station.✨
📍Lisbon Arrival Stations
Oriente vs. Santa Apolónia
Trains bound for Lisbon stop at 'Oriente' Station first before reaching the final stop, 'Santa Apolónia' Station.
Oriente Station is located in Lisbon's modern district (near the airport), which is quite far from the main tourist attractions.
On the other hand, Santa Apolónia Station is right next to Lisbon's Old Town (Alfama district).
Our Lisbon accommodation is near the central Rossio Station!
If you've booked your stay in the downtown area where most travelers stay—like Rossio or Praça do Comércio—
you should set 'Santa Apolónia' Station as your final destination!
Once you get off at Santa Apolónia, you can easily take a bus or taxi to your hotel near Rossio.
Just like in the picture above, enter your Origin (Porto Sao Bento) and Destination (Lisboa Santa Apolonia), and a list of available times will pop up.
If you select the promo ticket marked 'Promotion price', you can score a ticket that normally costs €71.40 (for 2 people)
for a heavily discounted price of just €29 (about €14.50 per person)! 🙌
Of course, promotional tickets come with a non-refundable catch,
but if your travel dates are set in stone, booking in advance is an absolute no-brainer.
While you can purchase tickets as a guest, European trains are notorious for delays or sudden platform changes.
So, to stay prepared for any unexpected surprises, I highly recommend signing up so you can receive real-time notifications via email or the mobile app.
When it comes to travel, I always prefer creating an account to keep things seamless. ✔️
Whenever you travel by train in Europe, keeping an eye on your heavy luggage is always a bit stressful.
For the AP train, first class didn't seem to offer much of an advantage for luggage storage, so we went with 2nd class.
I heard that the luggage racks at the end of the carriages are quite narrow, so if you board late, you might run out of space.
After digging through countless reviews from fellow travelers, I noticed many of them recommended specific seats.
⭐️
When you reach the seat selection step before payment, the system automatically assigns seats side-by-side.
But you can simply click 'Change Seats' and manually select the ones you want!
❗️Carriage 3, Seats 52 and 56❗️
We decided to give up sitting right next to each other in exchange for the peace of mind of having our bags right beside us.
We clicked on the single-row seats, 52 and 56, individually,
and made sure the direction of travel was forward-facing.
✔️
Lastly, double-check all your reservation details to make sure everything is correct.
(Don't forget to select ❗️Promo Ticket❗️ under the *Discount* section!)
Paying is super easy and convenient since they accept PayPal at checkout.
I feel so accomplished having booked our Portugal CP train promo tickets at such a great price!
🇪🇸 Our happy memories... to be continued! 🇵🇹
CP train tickets open on the official website about 60 days before the departure date. If you book promotional tickets at this time, you can purchase them for about 40% cheaper than the regular price, but they are non-refundable.
High-speed trains to Lisbon only depart from Campanhã Station, not São Bento Station. If you book São Bento Station as your departure point, the urban train fare to Campanhã Station is included, and you must transfer to the Lisbon-bound train at Campanhã Station.
It is recommended to choose Santa Apolónia Station, which is close to Lisbon's old town, as your arrival station. Oriente Station is located in the new town and is far from major tourist attractions, so it is more convenient to get off at Santa Apolónia Station and take a bus or taxi.
We recommend seats 52 and 56 in Car 3 of the AP train 2nd class. These seats are configured as single seats, allowing you to keep your suitcase right next to you and travel safely.
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